TommyD100 Costume Quest 2 Review

Costume Quest 2 is a great sequel to the charming, fun, and simple Costume Quest released a few years earlier. Developed for a new generation of hardware, the visual upgrade is immediately noticeable. The game looks sharper and more detailed while maintaining the same cartoony, whimsical art style that gave the original its charm. However, Costume Quest 2 is more than just a fresh coat of paint. It improves the gameplay in almost every way. Movement in the original game felt tanky and slow, but here the characters glide around effortlessly. Roller skates are no longer limited to a single costume, making exploration much more enjoyable. The areas themselves feel more varied, with more secrets to discover and a wider range of quests instead of repeating the same objectives over and over. Combat also receives some meaningful improvements while preserving the active turn-based system established in the first game. The original's stamp system, which provided passive abilities and stat bonuses, has been replaced with collectible cards that can be used during battle. Each card offers unique abilities or stat boosts, adding more strategy to encounters. While card collecting existed in the first game, the cards served little purpose. Here, they can completely shift the momentum of a difficult fight and make combat more engaging overall. The game is generally easy and forgiving, perhaps even more so than its predecessor. Healing fountains are plentiful, allowing you to restore your health after battles and grind enemies for experience with minimal risk. Using cards like the Double XP card makes leveling even faster. There is a level cap, and chances are you'll reach it before the game is over. Like the original, Costume Quest 2 remains a simple and enjoyable RPG, but one of my biggest complaints also returns: the music. Aside from a few light tunes and chimes carried over from the first game, the soundtrack often feels surprisingly sparse. Battle themes are loud and triumphant, but outside of combat the world can feel oddly quiet and lifeless. For a game filled with so much charm, whimsy, and humor, it's disappointing that the soundtrack doesn't feature more memorable or catchy music. Costume Quest was a fun game despite its small flaws, and Costume Quest 2 does a great job addressing most of them. If you enjoyed the first game, this sequel is an easy recommendation and a clear improvement over its predecessor.